M83 Want To Be Teenagers

08/14/09 12:15pm

by Alyssa Noel (CHARTattack)

M83 are tired. Or at least the man behind the dreamy electronic band, Anthony Gonzalez, is.

He's been touring, along with some new recruits, including L.A.-based Morgan Kibby on vocals, since his fifth record, Saturdays = Youth, came out in April 2008. He's been around the world and, much to his surprise and delight, more and more fans keep showing up to concerts.

CHARTattack talked to the 28-year-old Frenchman over the phone from the U.K. about the pervasive '80s sound on his record, his newfound fame and being one of the elusive few who embrace the memory of their awkward teen years.

CHARTattack: So you've been touring like crazy. Where are you right now?
Anthony Gonzalez: The U.K., actually. I don't really like the U.K., but we're leaving right away. The weather is really bad. I don't like the buildings and the atmosphere. After the U.K., I'm going to New York by myself. Then we have a few shows left before a rest.

How popular is M83 in North America versus in Europe?
Most of my albums were really well received in America. I think it's a major territory for us, a main market. Ever since I was a kid, I've been listening to American bands and watching American movies. Touring America is like a dream.

You recorded your latest album with Morgan Kibby from The Romanovs and now you're touring with her. How did you guys connect?
She's like a sister to me. I met her two years ago recording the album. Since we made the album, we've been really good friends. We've been spending a lot of time together because of touring and the album. She never complains. Life can be very difficult being a girl on tour with only men, but she never complains.

What does she bring to the band, musically?
Gonzalez: I was looking for a girl with a '90s kind of style voice. She was perfect for this album. Sometimes she can sound like Kate Bush, but she can experiment with her voice. I like to do that. It's good to experiment and do different things.

The record has been out for nearly a year and a half. What's it like to promote an album for that long?
It's a good sign. It's better that people are still interested. I've had the opportunity to promote this album for a year and a half. It's very positive, but it can be frustrating to play the same songs always, again and again. But it's almost the end. We finished at the end of July. We're going to take a rest.

I wanted to talk a bit about Saturdays = Youth. You've said you were aiming to capture the innocence of being a teenager. What drew you to that theme?
I don't really know. I've always been fascinated by youth and teenagers. One of the reasons is because I had a good time when I was a teenager. I had a lot of fun. The album is maybe a way for me to do a tribute to the teen years. There's a kind of beauty in youth. That's what I tried to recreate.

I've read that you've said you want to be a teenager again.
I'd love to come back and be a teen again because then you don't have anything to worry about. You just have to worry about having fun, going out on Saturday night. It was easy for me to go out and do homework, do anything I want to do. Now, being an adult is more difficult.

All the articles about the record mention the '80s sound and that sort of theme. Does it get annoying or were you anticipating it?
I don't know because this album sounds really '80s. I really tried to do it very personal. I tried to keep my identity on this album, but I think the '80s were an influence.

You were aiming for a lighter pop feel on this record. Do you feel like you've achieved that?
After the weird, strange albums I've made in the past, this is more accessible and direct, I'd say.